Date: Mon, 06 Jan 1997 21:38:01 GMT
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<title>Gandia (La Safor)</title>
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Gandia (La Safor)</H1></head>

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La Valldigna, ie, &quot;the valley worthy of a king&quot; as legend
has it, is a lovely transversely running valley full of orange
groves at the top part of the La Safor region. It runs from Mount Les Creus
and El Montd&uacute;ver Sierra to the sea. Three villages belong to it,
which are called Benifairo and Simat to which &quot;de Valldigna&quot;
is added. Tavernes de Valldigna is the half-official capital and
the only one with a district reaching down to the shore where
an important centre of apartment blocks has been built. The valley
is one of the most peaceful places. At Simat, a visit should include
the Royal Monastery of La Valldigna, an architectural treasure
of the 14th Century.
<P>
Xeraco is the gateway to the orchard lands of Gandia, which is
a large, fertile coastal plain with 27 scattered villages and
irrigated by the Serpis and the Vernisa. Its inland boundaries
are the mountains of La Safor, which is 1,011m high and after
which the region is named, and El Montd&uacute;ver Peak (841m). <b>Gandia</b>
is unquestionably the capital of La Safor. Very early prehistoric
traces give an idea of the art and personality of the first cave
dwellers of El Parpall&oacute;, Negra and El Forat de l&#180;Aire.
In Roman times, people began to come down from the heights and
settle on the plain, which explains the traces of civilisations
at Ador, Beniartjo and other places. In Muslim times, the castles
at Bair&eacute;n, R&oacute;tova and Almisserat were important defensive structures.
After the Reconquest, Jaume I grants the town the title of dukedom.
Famous writers Joanot Martorell (Tirant Lo Blanch) and Ausi&agrave;s March (Antologia Po&egrave;tica) were born in this beautiful city. The 15th Century is of exceptional splendour coinciding with the Borgia
(Spain.: Borja) family, the 4th duke of whom is canonised as Frances
Borgia. In the 16th Century, Gandia receives the title of University. Its
church, raised to the dignity of Collegiate Church by a Borgia
pope (Alexander VI) was begun in the 14th Century and is one of the most
outstanding examples of Valencia Gothic. Despite many alterations,
the ducal palace still preserves the Borgia style and houses many
objects reminiscent of the saint. A visit should also include
the Royal Monastery of Santa Clara and San Marcos Hospital, which
are both of the 14th Century. 
<P>
Although its main activity continues to be farming and its harbour
is still one of the most important for the export of citrus fruit,
Gandia&#180;s tourist trade has changed its coastline to a certain
extent, fortunately in an orderly way, thus creating an important
infrastructure for tourism around it's Dorada Beach.
<P>
The surrounding of Gandia should be visited by making very interesting
basic excursions, such as the one from el Parpall&oacute; to Montd&uacute;ver
along a regional road through La Marxuquera as far as La Drova
Valley; the one through La Safor visiting Almoines, Beniartjo,
Potries and Villalonga, and the one of R&oacute;tova through Alfahuir
for a visit of the 14th Century former Monastery of San Jer&oacute;nimo de Cotalba,
which is the most interesting in the whole region.
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The district of Oliva marks the boundary of the region in the
South. It was a dukedom founded by Alfonso el Magnanimo in 1449
and the birthplace of Gregori Mayans, a writer. It has a magnificent
beach which links up with those of Piles, Bellreguart, Daim&uacute;s
and Miramar in the north and extends as far the mouth of the River
Molinell in the south, which is the boundary of the Province of
Alicante and an area which once belonged to El Castillo de Rebollet,
a mainly agricultural community where the monumental neo-Classical
Archpriestly Church of Sant Maria la Mayor and San Roque Church
- once a mosque - stand out. Olive lies 77km from Valencia.
<P>
In all four seasons, the whole of the Valencia coast is an inviting
place because of its magnificent climatic conditions.
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Text extracted from Tourist Office of Spain. Copyright 1995, Tourist Office of Spain Asia/Pacific Regional Office, Tokyo, Japan.
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<h5>
<A HREF="http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~ignasi/personal.html"><img src="./graphics/FLECHA.GIF">Back to Ignacio Garcia's Personal Information</a>
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<h5><a href="http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~ignasi/">Ignacio Garcia</a>
<address><a href="mailto:ignasi@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu">ignasi@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu</a></address>

